“A nice way of spending a month’s holiday!” Philip grumbled.

“It will be a holiday that I shall long look back to,” Desmond said quietly, “and with pleasure.  I do not say that I should not have enjoyed myself at the baron’s chateau, for that I should have done; but the adventures that I have gone through will remain in my mind, all my life, as having gained the friendship of yourself, the baron, and his daughter.”

“Friendship seems to me too mild a word for it, Desmond.  You have earned a gratitude so deep that it will be a pain to us, if we cannot show it in deeds.”

“And now, Philip,” Desmond said, changing the subject abruptly, “I suppose that you will be, at once, sending off one of your men with the news that you are in a fair way towards recovery.  Mademoiselle de Pointdexter is suffering at the thought that you were probably killed.  I did my best to give her hope, but without much success.  Your two retainers have been fretting greatly that they were not allowed to see you, but I think that now they can be brought up, and you can choose one of them to act as your messenger.  He will, of course, ride post, and can arrive at Pointdexter very soon after the baron, if indeed he does not get there first.  If he starts at once, and changes horses at each place, he may be there by tomorrow at noon, if not earlier; for it is not more, I believe, than a hundred and twenty miles to Pointdexter.  If you will dictate a letter for him to take, I will write it for you.”

“It must be a short one,” the surgeon said, “just a few words.  Monsieur de la Vallee has talked more than is good for him.”

Half an hour later the messenger started, carrying a note with a few words from Philip to Anne, and a longer letter from Desmond to the baron.  Four days later answers were received.  The messenger had arrived at Pointdexter two hours before the travellers reached home, and Anne’s joy at the news that, not only was Philip alive, but might in a short time be with her, was deep indeed.  The baron wrote to Desmond, as well as to Philip, again expressing the deep gratitude of himself and his daughter, greatly regretting that he should not have the opportunity, at present, of thanking him personally.  With the letter the messenger brought a bag of money, concerning which he wrote: 

“You have, I know, dear Monsieur Kennedy, expended a considerable sum of money in hiring relays of horses, for yourself and Monsieur de la Vallee’s men; and this, of course, is a debt you cannot object to my repaying.  Without knowing the exact sum, I have roughly calculated the probable amount, and forward it to you by the messenger who will bring you this letter.”

Desmond had no hesitation in accepting the money.  The baron had evidently taken considerable pains to calculate the sums that he must have laid out, in order not to hurt his feelings by sending a larger sum than he had spent, for the amount contained in the bag was but a few louis over his disbursements.  He at once rode over to Roanne and redeemed his ring, which had proved of more value to him than he had ever anticipated.